Calculator



Feb. 1 1927.

J. T. REDDING CALCULATOR Filed May l2, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l Juvenfo'c flttowmp Feb. 1 1927. 1,615,883

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Feb. l 1927.

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- J. T. REDDING CALCULA'IORy Filed May l2, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 tja/7265 T', R6 @nvm/Lto;

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Patented Feb. 1, 1927. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

JAMES THOMAS REDDING, or WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLIYNA.

' CALCULATOR.

Application led May 12, 1926. Serial No. 108,549. This invention aims to provide novel the crank 4 from the shaft 3 in a way well means for computing the price of different understood by those who are familiar with numbers of articles at di 'erent prices per simple clutch of the sort shown in Figure unit, and to provide novel means whereby 'a of the drawings. 6v 5 tally or total maybe kept of all of the arti- A gear wheel (i and a rotary member or cles sold. cylinder 7 are secured to the shaft 3. A reel It is within the province of the disclosure S is formed on one end of the rotary member to improve generally and to enhance the util- 7, near to the gear wheel G. Fingers 9 proity of devices of that type to which the inject from the iotary member 7. The fingers G5 l vention appertains. 9 are spaced from each other both circuin- With the above and other objects in viev.7 ferentially of the rotary member 7 and lon- Awhich will appear as the description progitudinally thereof. ceeds, the invention resides in the combina- The shaft 3 is adapted to be rotated in one tion and arrangement of parts and in the direction by means of the crank 4. and is 70 l details of construction hereinafter described adapted to be rotated in an opposite direction and claimed, it being understood that by a spring that is coiled about and secured changes in the precise embodiment ofthe inat one end to a spool 11, the spool being loose vention herein disclosed, may be made withon the shaft 3. The outer end of the spring inthe scope of what is claimed, wi-thout del0 is anchored on the end of the casing l.. 'f5 `parting from the spirit of the invention. The spool 11 and the rotary member 7 have In the drawings zcooperating clutch elements 12. The clutch Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a device elements 12 are held interengaged by means constructed in accordance with the rinvenof a compression spring 14 disposed about a tion; portion of the shaft 3; as shown in Figure 3, 30 Figure l is a vertical sectional detail showone end of the spring 14 abutting against thel ing one of the reels and the shaft wherewith side of the casing, and the other end of the the reel cooperates; spring abutting against the spool 11. The Figure 3 is a transverse section, looking means for shifting the spool 11 to diseiigage toward the rear end of the machine; the clutch elements 12 embodies a ring 15 g5 :in Figure 4 is a fragmental top plan showing wherein one end of the spool 11 is journaled, a portion of the machine at the forward end the ring 15 being pivoted to the intermediate thereof; portion of a lever 16. One end of the lever Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section; 16 extends outwardly through the casing l, Figure 6 is a plan showing one of the so that the lever can be nianipulated coiia0 levers; veniently, the inner end of the lever 16 be- Figure 7 is a horizontal section: ing fulcruined on a post 17 which upstands Figure 8 is a plan showing one of the from the bottom ofthe casing 1.

tapes. There is a seat 18 (Figure 1) in the edge j Figure 9 is a sectional view wherein the of the reel 8. In the seat 18, the inner end J5 4U signal is `disclosed. of a slidable detent plunger 19 is engaged.

The device forming the subject matter of The detent plunger, (Figure 7 slides in a this aj'iplication comprises a support 1, in tubular guide 21 on one end of the casing 1 the form of a box-like casing. A table 2 and is advanced by a compression spring 2O projects into the casing from one end there located in the guide 21, the detent plunger 100 of. as shown best in Figure Av shaft 3 19 being accessible at one end from without (Figure 3) is joui'ualed for rotation in the the casing 1, so that the detent plunger can sideiportions of the casing 1 and is located be pulled out of engagement with the seat 18 near to the forward end of the casing. Tli-e '1D the reel 8. Under COIld-OIlS Which Will be shaft 8 turns freely in acrank 4,so that when @Xplairled hereinafter. 105 the sha-H13 rotates under conditions to be de- A. plurality of stop plungers 22 are scribed hereinafter, the crank 4 will not romounted for vertical reciprocation in the tate also and injure theoperator. The shaft upper portion of the casing 1 and in thel and the crank 4 are connected operatively table 2, as Figures 3 and 5 will show. Atbv a clutch 5, which becomes eifective when their upper ends, the stop plungers 22 are W the crank 4 is pushed to the left in Figure 3, provided with buttons 23 which, as disclosed a' spring in the clutch serving to disengage in Figure 4, have numerals upon them the numerals in the present embodiment ot' the invention running from one to ten. Intermediate their ends, the stop plungers 22 are supplied with transverse shoulders 24. The stop plungers 22 are raised by compression springs that abut at their lower ends against the table 2. The upward movement of the stop plungers 22 is limited by securing' elements 26 carried by the inner edge ot the table 2 and received in elongated slots 2T termed in the lower ends ot the stop plungers. There is one ot' the stop plungers 22 for each or" the lingers El on the rotatable member 7, and the parts 22 are called stop plungers, because, when they are pushed downwardly, they cooperate with the respective lingers 9 and stop the rotation of the member 7, the reel .8, and the shaft 3.

A shaft 2S is journaled for rotation in the side portions of the casing l and is located below and to the rear ot the sha'tt A `rear wheel 29 is secured to the shaft 2S and meshes with the gear wheel (i which is secured to the shaft 3. loting Figure 5 together with Figure 2, it will be observed that a reel is mounted on the shaft 28. A friction member 8l abuts at one end against the gear wheel 29 and at itsl other end eX- tends within the ree-l 30. A compression spring 32 located within the reel 30. One end ot the spring engages the inner wall ot the drum 30, and the other end of the spring` 32 bears againstI the friction member 3l. rihe thrust of the spring 32 against the drum or reel 30 is resisted by an abutment 325 on the shaft 28 and engaging' the inner end Ot the reel 80. The friction member 3l and the spring constitute, in substance, a friction clutch which connects the reel 3() with the shaftI 28. A tape Si is wound about the reels 30 and 8. It may be now stated thatI the friction clutch above referred to permits the reel 3() to slip a little on the shaft 28, depending' upon the amount of the tape 34, that reeled, respectively, on the members 30 and tl, it being' obi-'erred that the shafts 3 and 28 are constrained to rotate together, since they are connected by the `:fear wheels (S and 2), the gear wheel 6 meshing` with the gear wheel 2t), as shown in Figure l. Noting; Figure 8, it will be observed that there are tables of numerals, shown at 35, on the tape lli- The numerals in the tables 35 are proiilucts, derived by inultiplyine` the numerals on the buttons 23 (Figure st) of the stop plungers 22 by a price per unit. for instance, theI price ier gallon ot gasoline, il: the 'lez'ice is used in connection with the dispensing of gasoline. )is the tape 3l moves endwise, the numerals at 35 appear one after another at a window 3G which is fashioned in the top of the casing` l, the tape 3% passing` across a support 3T and over rollers 38 journaled on the sup port and located adjacent to the window 36.

N ear to its ends, the tape 3st has projections 1.26 adapted to engage rollers 127 on bell cranks 128 tulcriuned on a bracket 120 and provided with strikers 130 which cooperate with a bell 181 on the support 37. The construction is such that the bell 131 will sound when the tape Set is nearly unwound from the. reels 30 or S, and the operator thus will be adnionished before he has torn the tape from either reel by too much rotation thereof.

rlhe machine includes a lever Slt) which is shown in outline in Figure 6. An operating' device, preterably ay screw 1.00, is threaded into the casing and may be advanced to swing the lever, as and tor a purpose which will be explained hereinafter. Ordinarily, the member l0() is out of engagement with the lever, and the part 100 may be disregarded until it is alluded to specificallyv hereinafter. The lever 31) comprises a loopshaped head -'l-0 and side arms 1li, the side arms being pivoted at- Ll2 to the table 2. Figure 5 shows that the stop pluup'ers 22 pass downwardly through the loop-shaped head 40 ot' the lever 39 and the transverse shoulders 2st on the stop plungers 22 overhangthe loop-shaped head Ll() of the lever 39, so that, when any one of the stop plungers 22 is pressed downwardly, the lever 3i) will be swung` from. its tulcrun'i points l2. The lever 39 has a lateral projection Referring to Figure l, for instance, it will be observed that the ripper end oit a link 44 is pivoted to the lateral projection t3 of the lever 39, the lower end of the link beingf pivoted to t-he intermediate portion of a pawl l5 which engages the gear wheel 6 of the shat't 3, the pawl @t5 beinel pivotally mounted at 5" on the easing' 1. A lever 46 is fulcrumed at l? on the casingxl. Vthe lever Ll't being extended upwardly and outwardly7 with regard to the casingl l, so that the lever can be manipulated from a point external to the casing'. A pawl lh is pivotally suppmfted at 42) on the casngf t and has a lateral ting-ger 5t) which is located in the path ot the lever lt'. llhc pawl 4.8 is adapted to cooperate with theA gear wheel (i. The pawl 48 holds the rear wheel (l and the shaft't l against counti-ircloclrwise rotation (Figure l). and the pawl holds the ,crear 'wheel (i and the shaitt l afrainst clorkivisr rotation. The pawls la anditl are clmnected by a retractile spr' :3l which wustraiur; them to engage the gear wheel (i.

The sido walls of the casing l ha sets 52 in which bearingsl :Eil are slii'abie, the bearings being pressed downwardl): and forwardly by springs Set retained in the otl sets by detachaliile cover plates 55 secured to the side portions ot the casing l. The spring-pressed hearings 53 cooperate with the ends of a shaft 5G carrying a gear wheel 66 which is in mesh with the gear wheel 6,

of the number of gallons of it being possible to slide the shaft 56 backwardly and upwardly, to permit the gear wheel 66 to be disengaged from the gear wheel 6. The means for carrying out the result last-above mentioned embodies a plunger 57 which is slidable in a bracket 58 (Figures 1 and 3) carried by one side wall of the casing 1. At its upper end, the plunger 57 has a fork 59' in which the shaft 56 is received, at a point near to one end of the said shaft. The lower or forward end of the plunger 57 is united by a pin and slot connection 60 with the lower end of the lever 46. There is a con'ipression spring 61 about the lower end of the plunger 57. One end of the spring .61 abuts against the bracket 58, and the other end of the spring abuts against the lever 46 or against kthe pin of the pin and slot connection 60, the function of the spring 61 being to move the plunger 57 downwardly and forwardly into the position delineated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Figures 7 and 5 show that a drum 62 is mounted on the shaft 56, the drum 62 re ceiving one end of a tape 71, the tape 71 having numerals 7 which run from one upwardly to any desired limit. The numerals 72 on the tape 71 appear at a window 73, when the tape is moved endwise, the tape passing over a support 74 and rollers 75 disposed adjacent to the windows 73, as Figure 5 will show. The rear end of the tape 71 is Wound about a` shaft 65 journaled in seats 64 formed in brackets 63 mounted on one end of the casing 1. The shaft 65 carries a ratchet wheel 132 engaged by a lever pawl 133 fulcrumed on one of the brackets 63. A spring 134 holds the lever pawl 133 engaged with the ratchet wheel 132. A torsion spring 135 is connected at one end to the shaft 65, and at its other end to the aforesaid bracket 63. There is a hand wheel 67 on the shaft 65. The shaft 65 is held removably in the seats 64 by bearings 68 on radius arms 69 pivoted at their inner ends to the brackets 63, retractile springs 7() being connected at their lower ends to the casing 1 and at their upper ends to the radius arms 69, it being possible to cast the springs 7 0 off the radius, arms 69, swing the radius arms 69 upwardly, and release the shaft 65 for removal.

In practical operation, the person in charge of the machine, taking cognizance gasoline, for instance, which have been sold, and of the numerals on the buttons 23 of the stop plungers 22, pushes down the appropriate one of the plungers. depending upon the number of gallons sold or dispensed. W'hen the plunger 22 is pushed down, as above described, its shoulder 24 engages the head 40 ofthe lever 39 and tilts the lever on its fulcrum 42, thelink 44 swinging the pawl 45 out of engagement with the gear wheel` 6. Thispermits the shaft 3 and parts carried thereby to be rotated by the crank 4y in the direction of the arrow iny Figure 1, the pawl 48 clicking over the wheel 6. When the selected stop plunger 22 is depressed, its lower end comes into the path of one of the fingers 9 on'the rotatable member 7.

The shaft 3, the rotatable member 7 and the reel 3 are rotated by means of the crank 4, the crank havingbeen slid to the left in Figure 3, to cause' the clutch 5to couple the crank to the shaft The gear wheel 6 turns the gear wheel 29 together with the reel 30, and the tape 34 is passed from lhe reel 8 to the reel 30 until the stop plunger 22 which has been depressed, engages the appropriate one of the fingers 9 and arrests the rotation of the member 7. Vv'hen the tape comes to rest, one of the numerals 35 upon it is disclosed through the window 36, and if the transaction has involved, for instance, the selling of seven gallons of gasoline at 20c' per gallon, a glance through the window 36 will show that the cost of the gasoline is $1.40. The rotation of the shaft 3' by means' of the crank 4 put-s the spring 10 under tension.

The operator permits the selected stop plunger 22' to move upwardly, responsive to the spring 25, and the shoulder 24 no longer cooperates with the head 40 of the lever 41 to hold the lever depressed. The spring 51 reacts to' engage the pawl 45 again with the gear wheel 6 and to cause the link 44 to raise the lever 41 into the position depicted in Figure 5. The wheel 6 noW is held against rotation either' forwardly or backward-1y.

Observe that prior to this time, the gear wheel 6 and the gear wheel 66 have turned the shaft 56 andthe drum 62 to wind a predetermined amount of the tape 71 on the drum 62. This operation causes one of the numerals 72 onl the tape 71 to appear at the window 73 and since the numerals 72 run consecutively, the numeral that appears through the window 73 will show the total amount of merchandise which has been sold-a statement which will be more readily appreciatedand accepted after the entire description of the operation has been perused.

Up to this point, the operation of the' Inachine has displayed one of the numerals 35 on the tape 32 aft the window 36 to indicate the price of the particular invoice of mei chandise, and one of the' numerals 72 on the tape 71 has been displayed'at the window 73, to indicate the total amount of merchanif l dise which has been sold in several transactions: for instance, that ten five' gallon sales have been withdrawn from the gasoline tank. Up to this point, moreover, the pawls 45 and 48 arefloth engaged with the gear wheel 6,

lill) lli() thereby locking it. The selected stop plunger 22 has been permitted to rise into its normal position, and it nia-y be assumed that the crank 4C has been permitted to move to the right in Figure 8, so as to disengage the clutch 5 from the shaft 3, thereby preventing the crank 4 from turning and endangering the safety of the operator when the shaft 3 is reversely rotated as hereinafter described.

The lever 4G is tilted on its fulcrum 4T. The pin and slot connection raises the plunger 5T against the action of the spring (51` the fork 59 on the plunger moving the shaft 56 at one end and disengaging the gear wheel (5G from the gear wheel 6. On account of this fact, the tape 71, which shows the total number of gallons sold, remains at rest, and no retrograde movement is imparted to it by Way of the drum 62, the shaft 55 and the O'ear wheel (36, when the gear wheel G rotated in a manner now to be set forth.

When the lever l is tilted, as foresaid, the lever, engagdging the linger 50 on the pawl -l-S, pulls the paivl out of engagement with the gear wheel 6. The gear wheel now is free to rotate in a direction opposite to that indicated by the a row in Figure 1, and does so rotate, responsive to the action of the spring 10 on the shaft 3, until the springadvanced detent plunger 19 engages again in the seat 1S of the reel 8. rlChe operation above described returns to the drum S, that part of the tape 34 which was reeled ofll the said drum, and the zero in one of the tables 235 of numerals on the tape appears again through the window 36. The lever 46 is released, the pawls 48 and d5 assume the positions shown in Figure 1, the plunger 57 moves downwardly, the wheel 66 meshes again with the wheel 6, and the parts are restored to the posit-ion depicted in Figure 1.

The operation hereinbefore set forth presupposes that all of the merchandise is being dispensed at a stated price per unit; or, getting down to concrete statements, that all of the gasoline has been sold at 20g(- per gallon, as shown in the table at the right hand end of Figure S. Suppose, however, that the price of gasoline changes to 21e per gallon, for instance, and that the operator desires to work with another table. to wit, the 21e table at the left hand end of Figure 8. The lever 1G is swung and interengagcd with the casing 1, to hold the clutch elements 12 out of engagement. This permits the member 7, the reel S and the sha ft 3 to be turned without winding up the spring 10 accordingly. The detent plunger 1Q is pulled back out of engagement with the seat 1S in the reel S, and the plunger, therefore, does not interfere with the rotation of the parts 7, 8 and The screw 100 is threaded downwardly, tilting the lever 39, the link 44C disengaging the pawl l5 from the wheel 6. The pawl 45,

therefore` does not interfere with the rotation of the parts 6-387- The lever 46 is tilted on its fulcrum 47, and the plunger 57 disengages the gear' wheel 6G from the gear wheel 6. In view of the foregoing, the

wheel 6G, the shaft 56, and the drum (32 are not operated to shift the position of the totalling tape A71 whilst the tape 3l is being moved to substitute one of the tables 35 for the other. When the lever 11G is operated, the pawl 48 is withdrawn from engagement with the gear wheel 6, and the shaft 3 and the drum 8 now can be rotated by means'of he crank ato shift the tape 32 endwise, and to substitute one of the price tables 35 for another. By backing out the screw 100, releasing the .lever 46, releasing the detent plunger' 19, and setting the lever 1G over into the position shown in Figure 7, the machine is restored to a position in which it can operate with a new one of the tables 35 in position.

:is the tape 'T1 is advanced to the left in lfig. 5, the spring (F ig. 7) is put under tension. lVhen the operator desires to reset the tape 71 to a zero position, the gear wheel GG is disengaged from the gear wheel 6, and the pawl lever 133 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 132; whereupon the spring 135 will react to rotate the wind the tape 71 on the shaft 65. lf the spring 135 breaks, the tape 7l can be rewound on the shaft by turning the shaft through the intrumentality of the hand wheel 67.

lVhat is claimed isz- 1. In a device of the class described, a rotary member including a lirst reel, a second reel supported for rotation, a price-tape carried by the reels, means for connecting the reels for simultaneous rotation, means under the control of an operator for rotating said member directly to advance the tape to price-indicating position, spring means for rotating said member reversely to retract the tape to initial position, clutch connecting the spring means with the rotary member, and a movable detcnt cooperating with the rotary member to limit its rotation responsive to the spring means and to stop the tape in its aforesaid initial position, the clutch being operable to disconnect the spring means and the dctcnt being disengageable from the rotary member, thereby lo permit the rotary member to be operated to bring a different portion of the tape into working position, n

L). ln a device of the class described. a rotary member' including a lirst reel, a second reel supported for rotation, a price-tape carried by the reels, gear w reels forming an operative connection between the reels, a plurality of movably mounted quantity-indicating stops individually under the control of an operator, the rotary member being supshaft 65 and to reiii lit

plied with circumferentially spaced elements wherewitli the stops may be engaged one at a time to limit the rotation of said member and the amount that the tape is moved, means under the control of an operator for rotating said member directly to advance the tape to price-indicating position, spring means for rotating said member reversely to retract the tape to initial position, a detent cooperating with the rotary member to limit its motion responsive to the spring means and to stop the tape in its aforesaid initial position, first and second pawls cooperating respectively with one gear wheel to hold both reels against reverse and direct rotation, means under the control of an operator for disengaging the first pawl from said wheel, and means under the control of any of the stops for disengaging the second pawl from said wheel.

3. In a device of the class described, a rotar member including a first reel, a second ree supported for rotation, a price-tape carried by the reels, gear wheels forming an operative connection between the reels, a lurality of inovably mounted quantity-inicating stops individually under the control of an operator, the rotary member being suplied with elements wherewith the stops may e engaged one at a time to limit the rotation of said member and the amount that the tape is moved, means under the control of an operator for rotating said member directly to advance the tape to price-indicating position, spring means for rotating said member reversely to retract the tape to initial position, a detent cooperating with the rotary member to limit its motion responsive to the spring means and to stop the tape in its aforesaid initial position, first and second pawls cooperating respectively with one gear wheel to hold both reels against reverse and direct rotation, means under the control of an operator for disengaging the first pawl from the Wheel, a` lever mounted for swinging movement and extending into the path of all of the stops, to be operated by any of them, and a link connected to the lever and to the second pawl to disengage it from said wheel when any of the stops is operated.

4. A device of the class described, constructed as set forth in claim 3, and further characterized by the fact that the means for disen aging the first pawl :from said wheel emb ies a second lever mounted for swinging movement, a fulcrum for the second lever, a pivotal support for the first pawl the first pawl including a part engageable with the second lever, and a pivotal support for the second pawl.

5. In a device of the class described, a gear wheel supported for rotation, means under the control of an operator for rotating the gear wheel directly, spring means for rotating the gear wheel reversely, a lever mounted for swinging movement and under the control of an operator, a` first and a second pawl cooperating respectively with the gear wheel to hold the gear wheel against reverse and direct rotation, the lever cooperating with the first pawl to disengage it from said wheel, means for disengaging the second pawl from said wheel, a second gear wheel shiftable into and out of .engagement with the aforesaid gear wheel, and. means connected with the lever for shift-ing the second gear wheel as aforesaid, when the lever is operated to disengage the first pawl and to permit reverse rotation of the first-specified gear wheel responsive to the spring means.

6. In a device of the class described, a first gear wheel supported for rotation, means under the control of an operator for rotating the first gear wheel directly, spring f means for rotating the first gear wheel reversely, a lever mounted for swinging movement and under the control of an operator, a first and a second pawl cooperating respectively with the first gear wheel to hold said gear wheel against reverse and direct rotation, the lever cooperating with the first pawl to disengage it from the first gear wheel, means for disengaging the second pawl from the first gear wheel, a shaft shiftably mounted and carrying a second gear wheel shiftable with the shaft into and out of engagement With the first gear Wheel, and a plunger pivoted to the lever and cooperating with the shaft to shift the shaft and the second gear wheel as' aforesaid, when the lever is operated to disengage the first pawl and to lpermit reverse rotation of the rotary member responsive to the spring means.

In testimony that I clajin the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

JAMES T. REDDING. 

